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Developmental Plasticity Endocrine

Meaning

The capacity of the endocrine system and the tissues it regulates to undergo permanent or long-lasting structural and functional changes in response to environmental or nutritional cues during critical periods of early life, such as gestation and infancy. This concept explains how early-life hormonal milieu can program an individual’s lifelong metabolic and physiological set points. Developmental plasticity represents a crucial link between maternal and early childhood health and adult disease risk.